Computer readable storage media providing a program guide viewed with a perceived transparency over a television program

ABSTRACT

A system interactively controlled by a TV viewer remote superimposes portions of a scroll program guide over a basic programming signal for display on the viewer&#39;s display screen. A tuner has an input for receiving TV signals in a plurality of cable channels and an output for passing a signal of any selected one of said channels. A computer has an input for receiving any of a plurality of control signals from the TV viewer remote and an output for controlling the tuner to pass the signal of the selected one of the channels in response to one of the plurality of control signals from the TV viewer remote. The computer receives and stores a scroll input picture image signal containing local program guide data and generates a scroll output picture image signal consisting of at least a portion of the scroll input picture image signal. A combiner superimposes output picture image signal over the passed signal to provide a display signal for input to the viewer&#39;s display screen. The computer is responsive to control signals from the remote to cause the combiner to change the weight of the output picture image signal in relation to the passed signal.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/887,897, filed Jun. 22, 2001, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/421,953, filed Oct. 20, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No.6,305,016, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.08/974,944, filed Nov. 20, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,020,929, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/599,143, filed Feb.9, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,828,420, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 08/234,060, filed Apr. 28, 1994, now U.S.Pat. No. 5,502,504.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to interactive video communications andmore particularly concerns viewer controlled channel programming guidedisplays.

Programming guide information is presently displayed to the home TVviewer in a non-interactive scroll on a single channel dedicated toprogramming guide information.

When the home viewer selects the programming guide channel, viewing ofthe channel previously selected is interrupted. While the viewerexecutes best judgment to when to make the change, key portions of theprogram on the previously selected channel may be missed. This isespecially probable in cases of live programming. It is also especiallyirritating to the viewers not in possession of the controller.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a process andin-home scrolling hardware by which a home viewer may interactivelycontrol a channel programming guide. Another object of this invention isto provide a process and in-home scrolling hardware in which the scrollcan be simultaneously superimposed on and displayed with the programmingof any channel accessible to the home viewer. Another object of thisinvention is to provide a process and in-home scrolling hardware bywhich a home viewer may control the comparative weight of theprogramming guide or superimposed signal in relation to the basicprogramming signal over which it is superimposed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the invention, a system interactively controlled by aTV viewer remote control transmitter displays a scroll program guidesuperimposed on the normal programming displayed on any channelaccessible to the viewer's display screen. A tuner receives TV radiofrequency or optical transmission signals in a plurality of cablechannels and passes a viewer usable signal of any selected one of thechannels to a signal combiner. A computer receives any of a plurality ofcontrol signals from the TV viewer remote control transmitter. It alsocontrols the tuner to pass the viewer usable signal of any selectedchannel in response to one of the control signals from the TV viewerremote control transmitter. It also receives and stores a scroll inputpicture image signal containing local program guide data and generates ascroll output picture image signal consisting of at least a portion ofthe scroll input picture image signal. The signal combiner combines theviewer usable signal of any selected channel from the tuner with theoutput picture image signal from the computer to provide a displaysignal with the program guide display superimposed over the channelprogramming display for input to the viewer's display screen. Thecomputer is responsive to a control signal from the remote to change theweight of the superimposed signal in relation to the base or normalprogramming signal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent uponreading the following detailed description and upon reference to thedrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a preferred embodiment of thehardware of the interactive scrolling program guide;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating the basic process and options of thevideo mix capability of the interactive scrolling program guide;

FIG. 3 is a representation of an interactive scrolling program guidemenu display;

FIG. 4 is a representation of an interactive scrolling program guidedisplay in a video mix mode;

FIG. 5 is a representation of the interactive scrolling program guidedisplay in a solid or one hundred percent programming guide conditionrelative to the base signal;

FIG. 6 is a representation of the interactive scrolling program guidedisplay in a ninety percent programming guide condition relative to thebase signal;

FIG. 7 is a representation of the interactive scrolling program guidedisplay in an eighty percent programming guide condition relative to thebase signal;

FIG. 8 is a representation of the interactive scrolling program guidedisplay in a seventy percent programming guide condition relative to thebase signal; and

FIG. 9 is a representation of the interactive scrolling program guidedisplay in a sixty percent programming guide condition relative to thebase signal.

While the invention will be described in connection with a preferredembodiment and process, it will be understood that it is not intended tolimit the invention to that embodiment or process. On the contrary, itis intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents asmay be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as definedby the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Turning first to FIG. 1, the components of the interactive scrollprogram guide are illustrated. A computer 11 having a commandinformation receiver, preferably an infrared or radio frequency receiver13, provides a control signal 15 to a tuner 17 and a picture imagesignal 19 to a digital video board 21. The tuner 17 converts ordemodulates radio frequencies or optical transmissions to a signalusable by the viewer to output a signal 23 selected from a plurality ofsignals 25 input to the tuner 17 from the cable source (not shown),typically frequency division multiplexed video, audio and data signalstransmitted via a coaxial cable, over-the-air radio frequencies or fiberoptics. The digital video board 21 converts digital data into a videosignal. The tuner output or base programming signal 23 has superimposedthereon a scroll information picture image signal 27 from the digitalvideo board 21 in a genlock signal combiner or overlayer 29. Thecombined scroll and TV picture signal 31 is then displayed on a videosignal display device such as the display screen 33 of the viewer'stelevision. The combiner 29 permits the viewer to select the weight ofthe scroll information picture signal 27 in relation to the baseprogramming signal 23. The viewer sends commands to the receiver 13 tocontrol the operation of the computer 11 by the use of a remote controltransmitter, preferably an infrared or radio frequency transmitter 35.The computer 11 is based on microprocessor and may utilize random access(RAM) and/or read only (ROM) memory. The software necessary to operatethe microprocessor may be embedded in the device or downloaded via thecable system to the device.

The above described interactive scroll program guide components operatein response to the control of the computer 11. As shown in FIG. 2, whilethe home viewer is watching programming presented on his display 33 inresponse to the tuner 17 feeding any basic program signal 23 from theinput selections 25 to the genlock combiner 29, the viewer may opt tosimultaneously view the programming guide scroll available to thecombiner 29 from the computer 11 through the digital video board 21. Theviewer simply presses a predetermined key on the remote 35 to select theprogram guide display as is illustrated in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3,the program guide nomenclature (Prgm Guide) will appear on the screenbetween arrows indicating upward or downward menu access to the possiblechoices in the program guide routine. By use of the up and down arrowson the controller 35, the program guide menu can be manipulated to the“video mix” condition, illustrated as step 51 in the routine of FIG. 2.The visual appearance of the viewer's display 33 in the “video mix”condition is illustrated in FIG. 4. Upon “user selection of video mix”51, the computer 11 routine inquires as to whether or not there has beena key pressed 53 requesting that the weight of the program guide signal27 be changed in relation to the basic programming signal 23. If theanswer to this inquiry is “NO”, routing proceeds through a path 55 tocontinue the “key pressed” inquiry 53. If the response to the “keypressed” inquiry 53 is “YES”, the routine continues to a “user exit”inquiry 57. If the viewer has opted to exit the video mix routine, a“YES” response to the “user exit” inquiry 57 will result in a “return tothe previous menu” 59. If, however, the response to the “user exitinquiry” 57 is “NO”, the routine continues to a new mix selectioninquiry 61. If the response to the “new mix selection” inquiry 61 is“NO”, the routine returns via the route 55 to the original “key pressed”inquiry 53. If the answer to the “new mix selection” inquiry 61 is“YES”, the routine proceeds through the calculate hardware parametersstep 63 and the “set hardware to new level” step 65, at which point thegenlock combiner 29 automatically performs these functions to establishthe weight of the program guide signal 27 superimposed by the genlockcombiner 29 over the basic programming signal 23. When the hardware isset to its new level 65, the routine continues through the path 55 tothe “key pressed” inquiry 53 to determine whether the viewer has againselected a different percentage of signal mix.

FIGS. 5 through 9 illustrate the solid or one hundred percent video mix,ninety percent video mix, eighty percent video mix, seventy percentvideo mix and sixty percent video mix, respectively, the percentageindicating the weight the programming guide signal 27 superimposed onthe basic programming signal 23.

If the video mix routine is exited and later reselected, the weight ofthe programming guide signal 27 will automatically be the weight lastopted by the viewer.

Thus, each individual viewer will be provided with a scroll programguide in which the home viewer can interactively determine whether theprogram guide scroll should be displayed and, if so, its weight relativeto the basic program data.

Thus, it is apparent that there has been provided, in accordance withthe invention, a video mix program guide that fully satisfies theobjects, aims and advantages set forth above. While the invention hasbeen described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it isevident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will beapparent to those skilled in the art and in light of the foregoingdescription. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all suchalternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the spirit ofthe appended claims.

1. Computer readable storage media comprising: instructions forsuperimposing an interactive program guide with a perceived partialtransparency over a television program such that the television programcan be at least partially perceived by a television viewer through theinteractive program guide.
 2. The computer readable storage media ofclaim 1, wherein the instructions allow variability of a weight of thetransparency relative to a display image.
 3. The computer readablestorage media of claim 2, wherein the instructions allow a display ofthe percentage of the weight of the transparency.
 4. The computerreadable storage media of claim 2, wherein the instructions allow a userto vary the weight of the transparency.
 5. The computer readable storagemedia of claim 2, wherein the instructions allow automatic setting ofthe weight of the transparency upon program guide activation to theweight set at the time of most recent program guide deactivation.
 6. Thecomputer readable storage media of claim 2, wherein the instructionspresent the program guide so that portions of the program guide areopaque relative to the display image.
 7. The computer readable storagemedia of claim 1, wherein the instructions present the program guide ina grid.
 8. The computer readable storage media of claim 7, wherein theinstructions present one dimension of the grid corresponding totelevision channels.
 9. The computer readable storage media of claim 7,wherein the instructions present one dimension of the grid correspondingto broadcast times.
 10. The computer readable storage media of claim 1,wherein the instructions present the program guide as a scrollingprogram guide.
 11. Computer readable storage media comprising:instructions for superimposing an interactive program guide with aperceived partial transparency over a television program, wherein theinstructions allow: variability of a weight of the transparency relativeto a display image; and a display of the percentage of the weight of thetransparency.
 12. Computer readable storage media comprising:instructions for superimposing an interactive program guide with aperceived partial transparency over a television program such that thetelevision program can be at least partially perceived by a televisionviewer through the interactive program guide while the user interactswith the interactive program guide.